King James Bible
"Who in times past suffered all nations to walk in their own ways."
Paul and Barnabas are speaking about God's dealings with humanity before Christ's coming. This temporal marker distinguishes the previous era of divine forbearance from the present age of gospel proclamation. God permitted or allowed the Gentile peoples to live without direct revelation. The term 'suffered' (allowed) doesn't imply approval but rather God's patient tolerance during a specific period of redemptive history. The nations pursued their own religious and moral paths, following human wisdom rather than divine revelation. This autonomous walking contrasts with Israel's guided path through the Law and prepares for Paul's argument that this period of ignorance has now ended.